Vacuum cleaner



March 12, 1940. c.y sMlTH y I 2,193,784

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nov. 18, 1956 /Nl/E/V TOP Patented 1w`mf.1'z,1a4ol 1 1^UNI'IED STATES PATENT- OFFICE to The Spencer Turbine Company, Hart Conn., a corporation oi Connecticut ford,

Application November 18, 1936, Serial No. 111,463 6 Claims. (01.'15-16) My invention relates to the class of apparatus that is more particularly adapted forcleaning fioo'r spaces and similar surfaces, and anobject of my invention, among others, is the production 5 of an, apparatus which may be used as a station-J ary xture or 'which may be used as a portable device and to prvide means for readily transforming the one to the other; anda further. object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of l this type that shall be particularly efiicient in operation.

One form of an apparatus embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set but, as well as others, may

M be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which v Figure 1 is a side view of my improved pneumatic cleaner.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

.0 Figure 3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is a view in end elevation looking at the opposite end from that shown in Figure 3.

In -the accompanying drawing myA improved vacuum cleaner is shown as mounted in a frame.

* comprising uprights 6 in the form of posts located at its opposite four corners and united by cross pieces i and side bars 3 of any suitable material joined to the posts above their lower ends in any desired manner, saidposts thereby constituting 30 legs. A dust separator 9 comprising a part of the vacuum cleaning apparatus is mounted on the frame, preferably at the rear end thereof, and this separator, the case only of which is shown herein,

may be of any suitable construction containingv 3l any common and well known means for separating the dust and dirt from the air which is collected in the operation of the device. Hand holes I0 closed by covers il are located in suitable positionsl for entrance to the case of the separator,

o Conveying tubes i2 for conducting dirt and dust collected by the apparatus lead into the separator or case 9 near the bottom thereof and an outlet 'conduit i3 extends from the top of the separator I or case -9 into one end of a vacuum pump Il supa ported bythe frame preferably atop ajmotor I resting by choice on the bottom of the frame. The vacuum pump il may be ,of any desired construction, the case of such pump herein shown being formed to contain disks with vanes of the .0 centrifugal type, the inner mechanism not being shown, but it .being well understood that the air is admitted in the eye of the case and -is thrown outward by the centrifugal force to the periphery thereof. The air drawn in by the vacuum pump after the dust and dirt have been separated therefrom in the separator 9 is exhausted through an exhaust pipe I6. The motor i5 may be of any desired construction and operation comprising a shaft i1 with a pulley i8 secured thereto and contionary sense, it being understood that when. so

used a suitable cleaning m01 or mois wm be con- 1 nected with the conveying tubes l2 for the supply of the collected material to the dust separator or case 9. In order to adapt the apparatus or portable purposes the frame is so constructed that the platform onL which the separator and motor rest is located above the floor or other similar surface sothat the body 22 of a truck 23 may be backed lmder said platform. The body 22 of the truck has well known means which are raised into contact with a load to be carried by the truck, the details of such apparatus not being shown herein, it being suiiicient to state that the truck is provided with such raising means which are well understood by those skilled in the art. The truck is provided with wheels 2,4, a motor 25 for propeiling it, a platform 26 on which the operator may stand and a steering wheelv 21 by which the truck, and in fact the apparatus as a whole, may

be guided.

A collecting nozzle 28 is supported by wheels 23 I0 located at its opposite ends, and also by a lifting lever 30 pivotally attached at one end to a post. 3i secured to and rising from the nozzle, said lever being fulcrumed on a bar 32, the opposite end of said lever having al foot pad- 33 overlying the plat- I6 form 26 and accessible to the foot of the operator of the truck. The bar 32 is supported at its 'opposite'ends on rollers 3| and is connected by rods 35 with clamps 36, such clamps preferably being of the ordinary C-type tightly clamped tothe edge a) of the platform 26. The rodspreferably at their rear ends pass loosely through the clamps and springs 31 located on the rods afford a yielding lconnection between thecollecting frame or unit and the truck, collecting frame or unit comprising the nozzle 28, the bar. 32, the rods 35 and connected parts. The conveying tubes I2 are attached at their front ends to the nozzle 28 intermediate its ends', and as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing. 50 The operation of theA device will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being' briey stated that hose vwith cleaning nozzles will be attachedto that part of the conveying tubes l2 preferably located on the frame of the cleaner when used as a stationary cleaner. For portable purposes the front sections 38 of such tubes are removably connected to the rear sections I2 preferably at the front end of the frame, and when so equipped the sections 38 of the conveying tubes are connected to the sections I2 after the collecting frame has been positioned in front of the platform 26. The clamps 38 are secured to the edges of said platform and the apparatus is now ready for use. As it is moved along a floor or similar surface, should an obstruction be encountered, the nozzle 28 may be readily lifted by pressure of the operators foot upon the pad 33 and release of such pressure will at once returnl the nozzle to its former cleaning position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now vconsider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desireto have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

l. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising a separating unit consisting of a supporting frame including a platform at the bottom of the frame and means for supporting said frame in an elevated position with a clear unobstructed space underneath said frame, said unit also including a dust separator mounted on said platform and a vacuum pump operatively connected therewith, means onv said frame for operating said pump, a dirt conveying tube supported on said frame and connected with said separator, a transporting unit comprising a truck having a platform received in said space and also having lifting means to lift said supporting frame, said transporting unit also including a collecting nozzle coupled to said truck as a permanent part of the collecting unit, a tube connected with said nozzle and carried by said truck as an integral part of the collecting unit and removably connected with said dirt conveying tube as a means for uniting the two units as a complete working apparatus.

2. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising a separating unit consisting of a supporting frame, a dust separator and a vacuum pump operatively connected and mounted on said frame, means on said frame for operating said pump, and a dirt conveying tube connected with said separator and adapted to receive a connection to a cleaning tool at the end opposite the separator, and a transporting unit comprising a transporting frame, a collecting nozzle coupled to said transporting frame, a tubular connection mounted on said transporting frame and extending from and communicating with said nozzle, means detachably attaching said connection to the end of said dirt conveying tube, and means to support said supporting frame in an elevated position with a clear and unobstructed space thereunder in which is received said transporting frame, the latter having elevating means to lift said supporting frame of said separating unit.

3. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising a separating unit including a supporting frame,

a dust separator and a vacuum pump operatively connected and mounted on said supporting frame, means on said frame for operating said pump. said frame including a platform raised above the bottom of the frame with a clear and unobstructed space underneath it, a dirt collecting tube attached to said frame and connected with said separator, a collecting unit including a portably mounted collecting frame for support of a collecting nozzle, a nozzle coupled to and supported by said collecting frame, a tubular con.

ating said pump, a portably mounted collecting frame for support of a collecting nozzle, a nozzle coupled to and supported by said collecting frame, a tubular connection extending from said nozzle, means detachably attaching said connection to said supporting frame in communication with said separator, a platform comprised in said supporting frame, means for supporting saidplatform in an elevated position above the bottom of said supportingv frame with a clear and unobstructed space under said -bottom to receive the body of a truck thereunder, and a truck coupled to said collecting frame and having elevating means tolift said platform, and means connected with said nozzle and accessible from the platform of said truck for lifting said nozzle.

5. In combination with the supporting frame of a vacuum cleaning apparatus including a platform for an operator of said apparatus, a portably mounted collecting frame coupled to said supporting frame and including a bar having rollers for supporting said frame, a lifting lever pivotally mounted on said collecting frame, a nozzle pivotally supported by said lever, a tubular connection extending from said nozzle, and means detachably attaching said connection to said supporting frame, one end of said nozzle supporting lever being accessible from said platform,

'and means detachably attaching said bar to said platform.

6. In combination with the supporting frame of a vacuum cleaning apparatus, a portably mounted collecting frame coupled to said supporting frame and including a bar having rollers at opposite ends, a nozzle movably. attached to said bar and having rollers at its opposite ends, a lifting lever pivotally mounted -on said bar and attached at one end to said nozzle, and having a foot pad at its opposite end. a tubular connection extending from said nozzle, means detachably attaching said connection to said supporting frame, and means detachably connecting said bar to the platform oi' said portably mounted collecting frame.

LESTER C. SMITH 

